Epidermis and lymphocyte interactions during a tuberculin skin reaction. I. Increased ETAF/IL-1 like activity, expression of tissue antigens and mixed skin lymphocyte reactivity.

Forty-one persons were tested for tuberculin skin reactivity. Epidermal cells (ECs) were isolated from the tuberculin reaction and from a contra lateral, non injected skin area. We found a significant increase of epidermal thymocyte activating factor (ETAF) in epidermis overlying a positive tuberculin reaction together with an increase of OKT6 and class II (HLA-DR) positive cells. Allogeneic lymphocytes proliferated significantly more when mixed with ECs from a positive tuberculin skin test. Injection of tuberculin per se or a negative reaction did not induce similar changes. The described model seems useful for functional studies of ECs and lymphocytes in patients with contact dermatitis.